शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

108 SIVAGNANA BOTHAM.
cause of the Soul's Supreme Happiness, Bliss and Pathi Gnanam.
And in this Adwaitha Anubhava, do we get the true definition of
Love or Bhakti and see the profound meaning there is in the
simple Mantra ‘God is Love’ ; and now let us read again the
Divine Mantra (which can bear repetition).
“ அன்பும் சிவமும் இரண்டென்பர் அறிவிலார்
அன்பே சிவமாவ தாரு மறிகிலார்
அன்பே சிவமாவ தாரு மறிந்தபின்
அன்பே சிவமா யமர்ந் திருப்பாரே.”
Herein we have the true Bhakti Marga, or the true Dasa
Marga which at the same time is seen to be the true Gnana
Marga. Herein is seen no conflict between Bhakti and Gnanam.
Yet how often do we see the followers of the so-called Bhakti
Marga sneer at the followers of the so-called Gnana Marga and
vice versa, when neither party have the least title to either
name. The words, Bhakta, Gnani and Mukta are synonymous
and the condition of the Bhakta involves and implies the passing
through of the stages of Sariya, Kriya and Yoga, and it was a
bad day for us when a wave of false devotion spread from the
north to the south, thus undermining all principles of true
progress by the practice of True Tapas and spreading instead,
gross superstition and absurd rituals and ceremonies.
I cannot conclude this Sutra without pointing out an example
of the exhibition of True Bhakti by a Jivan Mukta from the
annals of the Saints recorded in our Bhakta Vilasa. Whom could
I mean other than our Saint Kannappa ?
“ கண்ணப்பன் ஒப்பதோர் அன்பின்மை கண்டபின்”
Says our Saint Manicka Vachaka, whose Divine words are
sufficient to melt even the heart of stone to tears, and where he
has chosen to praise, why need I refer to the host of other